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John Green's "Fault in Our Stars" and AYA Cancer in the Media

February 25, 2012

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For all those young adult readers out there and even for those who are in no way eligible for that category anymore, John Green has just released his 4th fiction book, The Fault in Our Stars, starring two, young cancer stricken protagonists. Though the topic is a little grim, Green composes the novel into a surprisingly heartening story. Although fictitious, Green worked as a student chaplain in a children’s hospital several years ago and knows a thing or two about real-life young people living with or through cancer.

A little about the book: Hazel is sixteen-year-old girl living with terminal cancer and carting around an oxygen tank when she meets Augustus, another young cancer survivor who lost his leg during his bout with osteosarcoma, at her kids-with-cancer support group. The two are kindred spirits, sharing an irreverent sense of humor and wit, and end up falling in love in spite of Hazel’s prognosis. Green’s book reflects on the universal questions we can all relate to - How will I be remembered? Will my life, and my death, have meaning? What do I want to do with my life, now, in this moment?

Green recently sat down for a segment of Weekend Edition on National Public Radio (NPR) and discussed his book as well as his experience spending time with young cancer patients. Green talked about wanting to write a book that didn’t feature teenagers as “wide eyed” with the answers to life’s existential questions. He said, “The truth is that teenagers are teenagers, whether they're sick or well. And whether they're going to exit adolescence or not, they still have to go through this.” This in particular, makes Green’s book come off as authentic and true-to-life because cancer or not, kids still want to be kids and live in that moment, albeit those with a cancer diagnosis have a more pronounced understanding of their mortality.

Through the recent attention being paid to the adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer community in the media via movies, (50/50), organizations (i2Y, SAMFund) and now Green’s latest book, The Fault in Our Stars, the public can get a better understanding of the specific needs of young people living with or after a cancer diagnosis (fertility, survivorship, psychosocial care). To read more about or to purchase a copy of The Fault in Our Stars, please click here.

Comments

This book was incredible! The story line was beautiful, the characters easy to fall in love with and very well written. The story was heartbreaking at times but still a beautiful love story and wonderful insight into the life of the terminally ill. I recommend this book to everyone!

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